I think the strategy would probably require extra pitchers, as making 3-4 appearances a week for 26 weeks would be a heavy workload on the two guys tasked with the 1st inning role (some arms are bound to break down), and you can’t really count on the “designated starters” to pitch a full inning or two each time out. There will be days when, say, Liriano or Burton can’t get out of the 1st inning, and then either Gardy will have to burn another reliever to finish their job or else rush in the “rotation starter” like Pavano to get out of the mess, which is outside that guy’s comfort zone. Then, on many days the “rotation starter” is still going to need relief well before the 7th or 8th, too, and Gardy will have to turn to his bullpen having already used one or two (or three!) of his “relievers”–plus one guy is always unavailable because he’s supposed to start the next day.

Also, Gardy will have to make a choice between using one of his lesser relievers to face the top of the lineup at the start of each game or tasking one or two of his good relievers with that role, in which case he has or one or two fewer good options in high-leverage spots in the late innings. Either way, he’s at a disadvantage.